Complaint made about 'online' abuse

[Bahia Feliz]

What might happen if a complaint is made against an RM employee by someone who accuses said RM employee of using a swear word in an internet forum/website?
Many thanks for any advice/opinions.

[Tman]

This very thing happened some years ago in the Soth West. The IB were involved and questions were asked, but as the employee concerned only mentioned he was an RM employee in passing (as opposed to making out he was some sort of unofficial RM spokesman) he only received a little boot up the bum.
Lucky really, as he could have got his P45.

[weirdo]

top whack, probably 6 years, but you'll be out in 3.

[weirdo]

Only joking, depends what you said and how you said it, look at John Terry?

[doorstepped]

as it is all online, the accuser has to prove that you indeed where the person who wrote the swear word.

anyone could log into your online account and type whatever they like, no one can prove it was you.

[POSTMAN]

Are we talking here or elsewhere.

[Bahia Feliz]

It was on Twitter and the dom has 'screenshots' of it,It's for a friend of mine by the way.

[fishtank]

What might happen if a complaint is made against an RM employee by someone who accuses said RM employee of using a swear word in an internet forum/website?
Many thanks for any advice/opinions.

I would imagine the same rules apply on the internet as in the real world.
As Tman says if you are addressing a customer directly from the position of a Royal Mail employee and you are swearing at the customer you are taking a risk.

[Bahia Feliz]

My mate tells me he swore at someone on twitter using his user name ( nothing to do with RM ) but this person somehow found out that my mate works for RM and put in a complaint to them.

[doorstepped]

then it has nothing to do with RM at all and I would tell your m8 not to worry about it at all.

[fishtank]

My mate tells me he swore at someone on twitter using his user name ( nothing to do with RM ) but this person somehow found out that my mate works for RM and put in a complaint to them.

If there are no links to RM on his Twitter account he should be ok.
I know a lot of people put their employer on their facebook account.
I've never thought that was very wise.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Perhaps in the fact finding interview he should point out that Royal Mail was not mentioned by them, and that he has not brought RM into disrepute. Hopefully its a personal dispute which RM should not take a view on.

However, if the rant was of a racist or some other hate type, then he could be in trouble - the context of the post is all important.

People seem to forget that all posts on Twitter are public - only Direct Messages are private and even then I would take extreme care.

[Bahia Feliz]

The only 'spanner in the works' could be that the swear word was in response to a complaint about RM.

[Tman]

That's not good, as it implies he swore "defending" RM to a member of the public. Depends on the severity of the words used, though.
Time to call the union..

[meercat]

Tell him to f**k off. What a total prick of a man.